Can India automate on its own terms? With a small lab in Pune creating cobots by young engineers for India’s real factory needs, Prajwal Lale from P.L. Robotics believes so. Akanksha Sondhi Gaur from EFY speaks to him.
Q. What is the idea behind your startup?
A. The journey began when, during my internship, I realised that even leading Indian research institutions depend substantially on expensive imported equipment. This highlighted a prominent absence of high-quality local manufacturing. To close that gap, we launched P.L.Robotics to design and produce India-made cobots and automation systems that enhance productivity, accuracy, and technological independence.
Q. What technologies power your cobots, and how did your work begin?
A. Our cobots run on open source systems like ROS (Robot Operating System), making them easy to control like a smartphone. We built specialised sensors for high precision and added sensors at each joint to ensure safe human interaction. Their modular design allows quick adjustments for different tasks, and anyone can easily teach or reprogram them. I started this work during my research at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), developing devices that automated complex lab operations, with performance that matched top German tools. That early success showed that Indian innovation can compete globally and inspired us to bring the same precision and automation to industry.
Q. So, what is the current status of your business?
A. Right now, we are pre-revenue, working with about 20 to 25 clients on custom projects, with a full commercial rollout planned in the coming months.
Q. Do you have a working prototype? If yes, is it already in the market?
A. We do. Our working prototype is undergoing internal testing and is yet to be launched in the market.
Q. What differentiates you from other global robotics firms?
A. Instead of replicating designs from brands like ABB or Fanuc, we build robots optimised for Indian users; simple, intuitive, and localised. Nearly all components are developed domestically, strengthening the local supply chain.
Q. What tech builds your cobots, and what is new in the latest models?
A. Our robots use parts like motors, sensors, and smart computer programs. Because some important parts, like gears and circuits, are hard to find in India, we build them ourselves using strong skills and lots of testing. New ideas, such as making smaller robot joints and stacking circuit boards, help us build and test quicker.
Q. How do the electronics and sensors in each joint work, and how are they kept small?
A. Each joint has a small driver circuit with 50-100 components, including encoders and torque sensors that detect contact and trigger instant shutdowns for safety. We use double-sided, stacked printed circuit boards (PCBs) with compact integrated circuits (ICs) to keep the design small and reliable, enabling our cobots to operate smoothly in tight Indian factory spaces.
Q. What are your own technologies and patents?
A. Our patent-pending encoders cut circuit complexity by about 30 per cent while boosting accuracy. Other patents cover human-machine interfaces and teach pendants designed for production use rather than lab experiments. We prioritise stable, rugged products over experimental tech.
Q. What manufacturing and design hurdles do you face?
A. India lacks suppliers for precision parts like harmonic drives or cross-roller bearings, leading us to design nearly everything in-house while partnering with local machining firms. This distributed model demands constant benchmarking for quality and delivery.
Q. Where are your facilities, and why use outsourcing?
A. We have not built a full-scale plant yet; machining is outsourced while integration happens near the founders and collaborating colleges. This provides flexibility, access to specialised talent, and reduced overheads.
Q. Which industries are expected to use your cobots, and how do they help?
A. Many fields like factories, welding, farming, labs, and underwater work. When placed on moving platforms, they can also help with security and deliveries. They can pick fruits, run lab tests, or do risky tasks like welding. This makes work faster, safer, and easier.
Q. How do partnerships and funding help your growth in India?
A. Our partnerships with academic and industry organisations let us innovate faster through shared research and development (R&D), rapid prototyping, and field testing. Each successful deployment strengthens our capabilities and credibility, paving the way for funding and national expansion.
Q. Tell us about your team and ideal hires.
A. We are a young, practical team based in Pune, guided by mentors from TIFR and other top institutes. Our team values curiosity, teamwork, and continuous learning. We work with engineering colleges for research and new hiring. We look for people who enjoy solving problems, trying new things, and turning ideas into real products.
Q. Your role in India’s robotics and main strategy?
A. We aim to lead India’s transition toward affordable, adaptable robotics for every factory, regardless of scale or budget. Our systems should help manufacturers improve efficiency and precision, empowering even small industries to adopt robotics confidently. I can say that our cobots built for India, rooted in research, driven by young minds, and are ready to support the nation’s journey toward smart automation.
Q. What is next for your tech and comments on Indian robotics?
A. We are now making new robots like six-axis robots, the machines that help build circuit boards, human-like robots, and four-legged robots. Our new lab will have everything in one place: design, testing, and making parts, so we can create faster. With government help and more demand, India can become a world leader in robotics. We tell young engineers to keep working with their hands, fix real problems, build strong teams, and help Indian ideas lead the way.
